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A Letter from Bishop Barry C. Knestout

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The generous support of the people throughout the Archdiocese of Washington enables our local Church to spread the Gospel, serve our brothers and sisters and build up the Body of Christ every day. With this generosity comes the responsibility for the careful stewardship of these resources and the integrity of our ministries, which the archdiocese takes very seriously.

There are already many safeguards in place to ensure responsible and transparent management of funds. The Archdiocesan Finance Council, whose members include national and regional business leaders, oversees major financial and budgetary decisions to ensure they reflect the mission of the Church. The financial statements of the archdiocese are audited each year by a national accounting firm. Each parish in the archdiocese has a Finance Council, governed by archdiocesan policies updated in 2017, to provide oversight of the parish budget and advise the pastor on financial matters.

Similarly, archdiocesan administrative officials work hand-in-hand with parishes, schools, and agencies to ensure that the conduct of archdiocesan employees and volunteers reflects the highest ethical standards and, most importantly, fulfills our call to be an example of Christ’s love in the world.

This Ethics and Compliance Hotline, operated by an independent third-party company, NAVEX Global, helps to protect the archdiocese’s fiscal and operational health. It allows anyone to report suspected misconduct involving any parish, school, agency, or archdiocesan office. Reports will be confidential and can be made anonymously. All reports will be taken seriously and promptly investigated by the archdiocese. Please note that any concerns about potential abuse of children or vulnerable adults should be reported directly and immediately to local law enforcement, as directed by the archdiocese’s Child Protection Policy.

By working together, all of us can ensure the careful stewardship of the resources entrusted to the archdiocese and continue the good work that is carried out every day in our local Church.